Ap Gov Yahh

Government

institution through which society makes and enforces public policies

Public goods

a commodity or service that is free to the public

Politics

Maintaining, managing, and gaining control of government

Political participation

ways people take part in politics and government

Single-issue groups

Associations focusing on a single public policy

Policymaking system

the process by which policy is created and evolves

Linkage institutions

polticial channels where people's concerns become political issues on the policy agenda

Policy agenda

set of issues that government officials, voters, and the public focus on

Political issue

when people disagree on a problem and how to solve it

Policymaking institutions

congress, presidency, and courts established by the Constitution to make policy

Public policy

course of action the government takes in response to an issue or problem

Policy impacts

Effects policy has on people and society's problems

Democracy

political system where power lies in citizens who elect people to represent them

Majority rule

Governance according to majority’s preferences

Minority rights

Protections for those not in majority

Representation

a person or group acting on behalf of another person or group

Pluralist theory

political power is distributed among interest groups

Elite and class theory

argues society divided along class lines and that elite holds power on basis of its wealth.

Hyperpluralism

interest groups are so strong that government is weakened

Policy gridlock

when interests conflict and no majority to establish policy, so nothing gets done

Political culture

overall set of values shared among society

Gross domestic product

total value of goods produced and services provided in a country during one year

Constitution

document that sets out the laws, principles, organization, and processes of a government

Declaration of Independence

explained why the colonies wanted independence from Britain

Natural rights

idea humans born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property

Consent of the governed

idea government derives authority by sanction of the people

Limited government

government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

Articles of Confederation

A weak constitution that governed US during Revolutionary War.

Shays' Rebellion

Attacks on courthouses led by farmers to prevent foreclosure proceedings.

U.S. Constitution

Fundamental laws and principles by which the US is governed

Factions

Political groups that agree on objectives and policies; the origins of political parties.

New Jersey Plan

Each state gets one vote in congress

Virginia Plan

Representation based on a state’s population

Connecticut Compromise

Established a Congress containing a Senate and House of Reps

Writ of habeas corpus

Jailers have to explain to a judge why they are holding a prisoner in custody.

Separation of powers

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches

Checks and balances

Branches of government can limit other branches to prevent abuse of power

Republic

Government where citizens choose their leaders by voting

Federalists

supporters of the Constitution

Anti-Federalists

people who opposed the Constitution

Federalist Papers

85 articles and essays written to promote the ratification of the US Constitution

Bill of Rights

first ten amendments to the Constitution

Equal Rights Amendment

a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution outlawing discrimination based on sex

Marbury v. Madison

established principle of Judicial Review

Judicial review

Allows courts to determine the constitutionality of laws

Federalism

power is divided between national and state governments

Unitary governments

Central government that holds supreme power in a nation

Intergovernmental relations

Workings of the federal system; set of interactions among national, state, and local governments.

Supremacy clause

Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

Tenth Amendment

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

McCulloch v. Maryland

Maryland was trying to tax the national bank and Supreme Court ruled that federal law was stronger than the state law

Enumerated powers

Powers given to the national government alone

Implied powers

Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution

Elastic clause

Allows Congress to make all laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers of the Constitution.

Gibbons v. Ogden

Regulating interstate commerce is a power reserved to the federal government

Full faith and credit

Constitution's requirement that each state accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state

Extradition

A legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.

Privileges and immunities

The provision of the Constitution according citizens of each state the privileges of citizens of other states.

Dual federalism

A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.

Cooperative federalism

A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly.

Devolution

the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states

Fiscal federalism

The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system; it is the cornerstone of the national government's relations with state and local governments.

Categorical grants

Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport

Project grants

Federal categorical grants given for specific purposes and awarded on the basis of the merits of applications

Formula grants

Federal categorical grants distributed according to a formula specified in legislation or in administrative regulations.

Block grants

Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services